[STATEMENT] UN World Water Day 2015

By BC Green Party · March 22, 2015

22

March 2015

The B.C. Green Party today recognizes UN World Water Day 2015: A Day for Water and Water for Sustainable Development. The BC Green Party strongly believes that the value of water as a sustainable resource cannot be taken for granted. The global water cycle sustains natural ecosystems, urban centres, world health, human populations, industry, energy, equality and food production. In British Columbia, the B.C. Green Party is particularly aware of our water as not only a valuable, life-sustaining resource, but also as a key economic driver in energy, international trade and agriculture.

“British Columbia is blessed with a plentiful water supply but we have to manage it carefully, it is not endless,” said Adam Olsen, Interim Leader of the B.C. Green Party. “We have recently updated the water act in B.C. and there is a lot of concern about the price of water for commercial bottlers. In addition, proposed industrial expansion in the province requires a lot of water and we have not had a discussion about water and how British Columbians want it managed.”

Supply, access, pricing and drought conditions in the Southwestern and Western United States will inform and guide B.C.'s future water policy; the B.C. Green Party therefore must play a key role in B.C.’s water policy development. Environmental protection of watersheds and water resources is a priority for the B.C. Green Party. We are fully aware of the need to preserve and carefully manage BC’s water supply, now and for generations to follow. Today, UN World Water Day, serves to remind all of us of how important water is to the future of this Province, to Canada and to the world.